Johannes Matthias Leendertz was pastor of Mennonite congregations in Wieringen (1910), Koog-Zaandijk (1923), and Haarlem (1927­1950). He was strongly influenced by Bendel Harris of the Quaker center at Woodbrooke (England), leading him to a search for the deepening of evangelical faith among the Dutch Mennonite congregations. This led him to the establishment of the "Gemeentedagbeweging" in 1917 (congregational retreat movement), later known as the "Elspeetse Vereniging" and still later as the "Fellowship of Mennonite Brotherhood Work, (Gemeenschap voor Doopsgezind Broederschapswerk). From 1947 on he took the initiative for the regular organization of retreats. Leendertz visited the Mennonites in the United States after World War I and became a consistent advocate of increased contacts between Dutch and American Mennonites.     

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 516. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

To cite this page: